The Field
by 90TheGeneral09
Summary: What happened after the camera was shut off on the September 28, 2000 entry? What Andre and Cal do? Where did they go?
1. Chapter 1- The Parking Lot

**Chapter I- The Parking Lot**

* * *

**A/N: I got the idea for writing this story after watching the September 28, 2000 entry in the video diaries that comprise 90% of 'Zero Day'. That entry ends abruptly, with the camera going off just as Andre and Cal start driving somewhere out of the studio parking lot. This story is entirely based off the question I asked after watching that scene again recently. What happened after the video entry ended on September 28th?**

* * *

Andre was livid, barely keeping himself from simply screaming at Cal in the parking lot. As he strode to the car in quick, jerky steps, Andre kept turning to his friend and gesturing angrily. "How many times do I have to tell you before you fucking _understand_?" he demanded.

Cal's reply came back sarcastic as he crossed around to the passenger side of Andre's car, still holding the camera. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant!" He opened the door and joined Andre inside the Pontiac.

Andre was only half-listening. "And quit rolling the C4 when you get out of the _fuckin'_ car!" he barked.

Cal closed the door and aimed the camera at his friend, his humorous sarcasm still present. "Forgive me for speaking so bluntly, sir", he said into the uneasy quiet.

"And stop talking like you're in the fucking military!" Andre snapped, finally noticing Cal's mocking address of him as a superior officer.

Throwing his hands up in exasperation, Andre leaned back in the driver's seat. "What happens, if they go home and they tell their parents 'Oh, there was some kid in an Army shirt!" Now imitating the hypothetical kid's parents, Andre asked, "Well, do they go to your school?" "Why, yes they _do_!" "Well, I'm gonna call the principal and get on the phone with him right away!"

Andre picked up speed, gesturing furiously with his hands as he talked. "They call the principal, _you_ get sent down to the office; _you_ get sent to counseling or something… _your_ parents tighten down on you, they call _my_ parents, my parents tighten down on _me_…" Andre threw his hands up in the air and pounded them on the steering wheel. "FUCK!"

There was another pause, and this time neither of them said anything. Cal seemed to sense, perhaps, that the time for humour had passed. In any case, he kept the camera steadily aimed at Andre, who had suddenly fallen silent. After another moment, he suddenly changed his approach, appearing to want to let the issue drop and move on rather than continue to argue about it. Andre looked over at Cal, still visibly irritated, but also expectantly. "Now what? Where do you wanna go; what do you wanna do?"

Cal spoke quietly, but the camera had no trouble hearing him in the closed space. "We're done."

Andre shrugged his shoulders, confused, as his hands clutched the steering wheel. "So we're done _here_, or we're _done_, we're done?"

Cal replied right away, getting an idea. "Here. Come on, start- start the car…"

Andre did so, the V6 turning over easily. Cal went on, "Pull up to the exit…" Andre shifted his car into reverse and backed out of the parking space. "Okay, I want you to close your eyes…" Cal said.

Andre closed his eyes, laughing a little. "Okay."

"And drive. Go."

The dark-haired teenager laughed again, now attempting to steer the car with his eyes shut. "You're just gonna tell me where to go?"

"Yeah, go on, do it, go. Close your eyes." Cal said in agreement.

"Uh, turn right, right, right… keep 'em closed… okay, straight… Straight, straight, straight. Are they really closed? Come on, close 'em. Close 'em." Cal instructed as Andre went.

Andre reached the parking lot exit and clicked on his left turn signal. "Okay, sharp left." Cal instructed, and Andre pulled out onto the street, crossing to the other side of the road. "Straight…" Cal continued." Andre laughed, amazed at how well he was doing, driving with his eyes shut. "So fuckin' crazy!' he exclaimed, much of his good humor returning again.

As they approached another intersection, this one with other cars at it, Cal remarked, "You probably shouldn't drive with your eyes closed, Andre. There's other cars on the road."

Andre abruptly opened his eyes and braked sharper than he needed too, throwing them both forward a bit as he stopped. But this time, when he threw his hands up in exasperation, Andre was laughing. "You fuckin' told me to! It was _your_ fuckin' idea!"

Cal's voice took on a note of mock innocence. "_Me_? Come on, Andre. I'd never do a thing like that. It's unsafe."

"Which is why a guy called _Calvin Gabriel_ just told me to drive onto a fuckin' public street- with cars on it- with my fuckin' eyes closed!"

Cal paused. "Uh… yeah. That's exactly why. I mean, I was just saying things; I didn't think that you'd actually do it…"

Andre shook his head, starting to drive straight through the intersection as the light turned green. As he crossed under the traffic lights, Cal suddenly spoke. "Turn right!"

"Mother_fucker_!" Taken by surprise, Andre turned so fast the Pontiac's tires screeched in protest.  
"Okay, keep driving straight from here." Cal said, as if nothing unusual had happened.

"Man, fuck you…" Andre said, trying to sound angry. Then he thought of something. "What- why do you wanna follow this road? This way goes way out into fuckin' Galton County- there's nothing out there but farms and shit!"

Cal seemed quite sure of himself though, and just repeated himself. "Just keep driving straight. I know where we're going."

Andre coughed, as if to cover his next word. "Bullshit."

The blonde laughed. "Drive straight. You'll see when we get there."

Finally Andre seemed to resign himself to following Cal's instructions, because he quit protesting and simply drove straight for over fifteen minutes, just as he was told. Occasionally, the rush of wind on the car and the sound of the engine would be punctuated by Andre reaching an intersection and asking, "Do I turn here?" to which Cal would always reply, "No, keep going straight."

Eventually, they reached Emerson Hill, an old farm about two miles across the border into Galton County, outside the suburbs but not beyond reach for suburban teenagers. The farm, owned by a local family for generations, had finally lost the interest of the latest generation of the family- or rather, those most recent descendants had found the gleam of silver, the look of the developer's paycheck, more appealing. Negotiations were underway to sell the massive farm, a property said by those in the know to be worth millions, but these talks had stalled as of late. So for the time being, Emerson Hill sat tonight much as it always had, vacant and silent.

As it came into view on the left, Andre laughed, shaking his head again. "Oh, my God… is _this_ what the secret mission was tonight? Drive out to a field at Emerson Hill- and do what?" Not waiting for a reply, Andre went on sarcastically, "Oh, I got it! Instead of writing that dumbass poem, you actually came out here and hid some beers yesterday. So now, we're gonna meet Rachel out here, get her drunk, and fuck her silly!" Andre looked at his friend for confirmation. "Right?"

Cal's voice came back, somewhat displeased. "Come on; don't talk about Rachel like that."

Andre only got more sarcastic. "Oh, I'm sorry; I fuckin' _hate_ the bitch, but _forgive_ me for speaking disrespectfully of her!"

"You know what I mean…" Cal said.

Andre just shrugged. "You know what _I_ mean? Hell, I'd do her. I can't stand to hear her talk, but she's got a nice ass. I'd do her." Andre looked over at his friend suddenly. "What? Why; wouldn't _you_?"

Cal seemed uneasy at the topic. "I… well, no…"

Andre looked incredulous. "_No_?"

"No, it's not that- well, I just don't think about her like that."

The black-haired teenager shrugged again, finally letting the subject drop. "Fine, what the fuck ever. Wouldn't say no to a goddamn beer, though." After a pause, he pulled off onto a dirt road leading away onto the vast property of Emerson Hill- though officially off-limits, the owners of the property seemed to forget this side entrance was even here. Set back from the road amidst encroaching plants and foliage, the old gates had stood open for some time, and had long since become the 'secret' entrance of choice for teenagers from nearby high schools looking for a party- or just some private time- out in the country. As he started down the dirt road, Andre dimmed the lights to the parking-light setting. "Okay, am I going the right way? What the fuck are we out here for?"

Finally Cal answered him. "You're going the right way. We're going to the Field."


	2. Chapter 2- The Field

**Chapter II- The Field**

* * *

**A/N: Chapter II of the 2-chapter story "The Field". Cal finally reveals to Andre what his plan was for the night's outing. Slight alteration from the canon plot- Cal stops the camera after they leave the parking lot, leaving us with the abrupt ending of that entry in the movie. In "The Field", he starts it again, stopping the second September 28th recording shortly after the start of Chapter II. From there, it's just Andre and Cal on their own.**

* * *

The Field, as it was so originally called, was a large, grassy field at the base of the rolling foothills that were the farm's namesake. Sometimes teenagers would go there to stargaze, to drink, or to do both. When Andre reached a turnoff onto the Field, he drove through the gate and parked the car behind a set of trees, just enough that, with the fencing still there, the car would be safely hidden from the road. Andre left the engine running and just looked at Cal as if to say "Well?"

"This is it; we're here." Cal said. "Turn off the car."

"All right." Andre did, and the low sound of the engine dwindled into silence.

The camera tilted down as Cal opened his door and got out; a quick scan of the field showed no one around at all. Cal nodded, as if somehow satisfied, and began walking out into the vast expanse of grass, once used as a grazing field for cows. A glance backward showed Andre getting out as well, looking curiously at Cal. "What are we out here for, man? What's this about?" Andre asked again, slightly wary. Cal just replied, "Come on. I wanna show you the best thing that's ever happened to me. Just come on- I'll show you."

"The best thing that's ever happened to you?" Andre repeated, slightly amused. "It's out here in an empty field?" Inwardly, Andre had no idea what this was about, and it could get tiresome when Cal would decide to get all cryptic like this. But Cal was also the best friend Andre had. With a soft sigh of resignation, Andre closed the driver's side door and walked around to where Cal was standing. He looked at Cal expectantly. Part of him was annoyed Cal was taking so long to tell him what the hell this was all about, but another part of Andre wanted to go along with it. This was… interesting.

Andre had always prided himself on being more perceptive than most; he was highly confident that he could always tell if someone was wasting his time. This didn't feel like that. And more importantly, Cal was one of the few people Andre had genuine respect- and yes, liking- for. In Cal's case- even if only once in a while- Andre Kriegman's time was his to waste. If that was what Cal really wanted.

But Cal gave no hint of what he had planned, not just yet. He abruptly turned off the camera, though, pocketing it. He'd started a new video shortly after they left the parking lot of the studio; Cal decided he would hide the video of this trip- it was nobody's damn business anyway, not even after he and Andre were long dead. Some things were better left said and done away from all the modern trappings of cell phones and cameras.

"Close your eyes." Cal said.

Andre looked at him, frustrated and amused at the same time. "_Again_? Really, dude?" he said.

Cal just replied with that calm, deliberate manner he'd always been known for. He always appeared so serene, in contrast to the animated, hot-tempered Andre. "Yeah. You're not driving, it's fine. Come on, just close your eyes."

Andre sighed but did so. "Fine. You wanna tell me what this is about?"

Even though he knew Andre couldn't see him, Cal smiled. "Not just yet. Soon, though."

Andre laughed. "Oh, good. That's nice."

Cal moved around behind Andre and set his hands on the dark-haired teen's shoulders. He could feel Andre's muscles- he was surprisingly fit for someone who had never, ever associated with a single jock at their school- tense for just a second, then relax. Cal smiled a little again. Here was a perfect example of the true depth of their friendship. Andre might protest a little, might argue- even get pissed off at times and yell like he was so famous for doing at school. He might do that sometimes. But always, always, he could calm down and at the end of every day, trusted Cal absolutely. Cal didn't even feel the need to check if Andre's eyes really were closed. He was sure.

"All right," Cal said, "Start walking forward. I'll tell you where to go." Andre laughed again, truly sounding- being- at ease in spite of everything.

He hated being led somewhere blind- figuratively or literally- by anyone. It was one of his deepest, longest-standing pet peeves. Andre didn't just need to be in control- he HAD to be in control. Yet, standing in this field on a mildly warm September night, all that just seemed to fade away. Andre found himself routinely altering some of his oldest, most long-standing rules, if only for Cal. Because Cal was just different that way. It was what he deserved.

Andre walked, having to remind himself now and then to neither allow his pace to become too fast or too slow. Occasionally Cal would steer him this way or that way, and Andre found he oddly _liked_ Cal's hands on his shoulders, guiding him through the darkness. It was very… symbolic. No matter how dark it got, no matter how lost he otherwise felt in life, Andre always felt direction and purpose. Just as long as he had Cal.

Cal decided they'd gone far enough after about five minutes; the field went on forever, and they made remarkable progress just walking at a steady pace. Finally, Cal walked Andre up to the base of a hill overlooking the farm. Even at the base of the hill Andre didn't protest- he just headed right on up. Finally, once they were three-quarters of the way up the long, sloping hill, Cal brought himself up to a stop. Andre, held back by Cal's hands, wanted to keep going for a moment, but suddenly halted and looked turned his head. Cal had to suppress a grin when he saw Andre's face; the black-haired teen's eyes were indeed closed.

"What? Why are we stopping? Are we there now?" Andre asked.

Finally, Cal released his hands. "We're here. Open your eyes."

Andre opened his eyes, blinking a little and looking around. When he saw Cal, the blonde was stretched out on the grassy hill, hands folded behind his head, looking up at the stars.

Some of his wariness returning, Andre asked, "_This_ is where you wanted to go? This fuckin' hill?"

Cal just stared up at the sky.

Andre glanced up; out here, far from the noise and light of the city and suburbs, the stars gleamed like millions of diamonds. It really was something to see.

Finally, the dark-haired teen decided his friend had a point- it was quite beautiful out here. Maybe, for all his cryptic nonsense tonight, Cal had simply wanted to come out here and relax. Andre lay down on the grass beside his friend, mimicking Cal's way of folding his hands behind his head. For a time, they both lay there, gazing up at the stars, neither of them speaking.

It was September 28th, 2000. May 1st was not even a year away, now. The thought of this fact brought a strange feeling to Andre; he'd never stopped to think that he was now, by his and Cal's planning and hard work, scheduled to die in less than a year. It was an exciting and yet oddly sobering fact. Few human beings ever planned their own deaths, and certainly not like this; that was for sure. It was just one more thing that bonded Andre and Cal even more powerfully; they were some of the most unique teenagers alive, anywhere. There was no one quite like them.

Cal shifted slightly, looking over at his best friend. Andre noticed, and for a moment the two simply locked eyes. It seemed- felt- as if they'd both just been thinking the same thing. Dead in less than a year… it really was weird to think about. And it was going to happen to both of them. They were going to go together. That last thought cheered Andre. Nothing was quite so comforting as knowing you'd die with your best friend beside you.

When the blonde spoke, it was so quietly only the near-total silence around them allowed Andre to hear.

"Andre."

"Yeah?"

"You know what the best thing that ever happened to me was?"

Andre had to clear his throat before speaking. He felt oddly moved; it was like he already knew what Cal was going to say. Perhaps it was a feeling, only- but Andre had always believed in trusting his instincts. He answered in a voice no more audible than Cal's, "What was it?"

"It was you."

The black-haired teen felt oddly startled; he hadn't quite expected that. He had to steady himself when he spoke. "Well, I mean- you mean Zero Day, right?" he asked.

But Cal just shook his head slightly. His blonde hair swayed a little as a breeze came up the hill. "No." he turned his gaze back to the stars, but continued speaking to Andre. "I mean… Zero Day's gonna be great…"

"The best day of our lives." Andre added, smiling at his own unshakeable confidence.

Cal nodded. "Yeah. But… I wouldn't have Zero Day if I hadn't met you, Andre. Zero Day _can't_ be the best thing that ever happened to me… because _you_ gave me Zero Day."

"We each gave the other… that chance. We gave each other Zero Day." Andre said.

Cal was looking back at Andre now. "So… _you're_ the best thing that's ever happened to me, Andre. You're the best friend I've ever had."

Andre smiled a little. Cal's blue eyes had a strangely beautiful look in the dark.

"Even better than Rachel", Andre added, his smile turning into a bit of a smirk.

For a moment, though, behind the smile Andre wondered. Why did he mention Rachel at a moment like this? Why was one-upping her as Cal's friend so damn important to him? Why did he even _care_? Maybe it was because Andre secretly feared Rachel would somehow stop being 'just friends' with Cal, and one day time he spent with Andre would then be spent with her. And why would _that_ matter, Andre wondered?

Was he perhaps…

Jealous?

Cal couldn't help but smile back. He shrugged slightly; it was true. Rachel was a good friend, but Andre was better. Cal said simply, "Yeah."

Andre felt like he had to say something. Gratitude at Cal's confirmation that he, Andre, was his best friend washed over him. Andre felt like he almost had to say something.

"Dude… I'm not very good at saying things like this. You're the one who's good with words and shit."

Cal just shrugged, smiling shyly. "It's fine."

Andre paused, then went on hesitantly, "Well, all that shit you said just now? I… I could say all that about you. I've never had a friend like you before."

Now Cal looked at Andre as if anxious for a response. "Really?" he smiled slightly.

"Yeah. It's all true, dude. I'd never lie to you."

Cal said quietly, "I'd never lie to you, either."

For a long time the two boys looked at each other. Then for a long, long time they looked at the stars.


End file.
